NEED TO KNOW
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Gemma Fish visited her doctor after noticing that her nipple became inverted following a significant reduction in breast size.
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Her doctor delivered a shocking diagnosis.
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Fish is now encouraging others to seek medical advice regarding any breast changes.
A new mom, Gemma Fish, initially believed that a reduction in breast size during her pregnancy was a natural occurrence. However, she eventually received an alarming diagnosis.
While pregnant with her daughter, Fish noticed that her right breast was shrinking. Even after giving birth, the situation did not improve; her right breast ended up shrinking three cup sizes compared to her left.
“I thought it was just part of the pregnancy process,” the 43-year-old woman from Manchester, U.K., remarked. “While other areas started to return to normal, one breast stayed large, and the other kept shrinking.”
Despite this, she dismissed the change for quite a while, attributing it to pregnancy. It wasn’t until January 2023, roughly 14 months after her initial symptoms, that she discovered her nipple was inverted.
“I procrastinated a bit more, but ultimately, that inversion prompted me to get it checked in February 2023. If not for that, I might have continued to ignore it,” Fish said, adding that she initially thought it was merely due to pregnancy.
After visiting her doctor, she was advised to undergo a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy, leading to a diagnosis of Stage 1 breast cancer.
“As soon as I walked into the appointment and described my symptoms, I could tell from her expression that it was serious,” she recounted. “It felt surreal. I thought, ‘How am I going to handle this?’ Being a single mom, I just didn’t know how I could manage everything while dealing with illness.”
“I wasn’t thinking about dying from this; it was more like, ‘This is a situation we need to address,'” she reflected.
In March 2023, Fish underwent a single mastectomy on her right breast. The next month, she began chemotherapy, which lasted until August 2023. Radiotherapy started for her in October 2023.
Things took another turn in January 2024 when doctors confirmed that she had Stage 4 breast cancer after her ovaries were removed and tested. “They found out that the breast cancer had spread to my ovaries,” she explained.
“I’m labeled as living with Stage 4 breast cancer, but I consider it a small victory that it was discovered after surgery,” Fish noted.
In March 2025, she had a mastectomy on her left breast as well and opted not to pursue reconstructive surgery. She described the adjustment as significant.
“I thought it would be easier to live with one breast rather than none, which might sound strange — but it really took a mental toll to get used to my new body,” she shared.
Currently, her cancer is categorized as “treatable” but no longer “curable.” She’s focused on stabilizing her condition, although accepting this new reality was difficult, particularly as a single mother to Rosie, who is now 4.
“Living with Stage 4 cancer feels different today compared to years ago,” she described. “It’s not just a direct death sentence anymore; many women lead long lives with various treatment options.”
“I had to make a lot of decisions regarding her future in case I’m not around, but that’s all settled,” Fish added. “Now, we strive to be as happy as possible and enjoy life.”
Fish now actively advocates for others to seek medical attention for any breast changes. “Prevention is always better than having to find a cure,” she emphasized.
She urged, “Don’t just overlook it. Had I not ignored my symptoms and had been proactive from the beginning, it could’ve been caught much earlier.”
